Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Solar Panels Have Finally Reached Economical Efficiency

By Susan Smithson

As consumers, we seldom get all emotional about an event until it starts to affect our financial situation or how we go about our days. Very few folk cared about the price of gasoline when it was vacillating around $2.30 per gallon. When it gets up around $3.50 per gallon and costs over $115.00 to satisfy that fuel gulping SUV however, we become a bit more aware.

The last indication of this particular event was evident was in the mid 70's, at a time when there was a crude oil trade embargo and hence, no fuel. Unconventional energies began to pop up here and there with many people jumping on the band wagon. But, gasoline soon returned in bountiful supplies and alternate energy sources fell beneath the average consumers radar screen once again. Now, in 2007, the normal consumer is seeing gas prices move higher and found a realization that global warming will be changing finances soon. Substitute energy is back in the thoughts of the common consumer and, maybe, this time for good.

Where did solar go? - Solar power for the house was a big seller during the energy crisis of the 1970's. Many abodes found tri-pods of solar panels on their roofs gathering what energy they could. These units were found mostly in environmentally cognizant Arizona, but before long they were found across the Globe. Unfortunately, the solar power cell of the 70's just wasn't all that cost-effective and cost quite a bit to position and maintain. As fossil fuel returned to the market place there was minuscule need for solar cells in a time of spectacular consumption. But the idea of solar energy was a good one and many trailblazers appreciated that it was a good idea that had yet to find its time. Solar panels never went away; they just slid back into the lab to await solar panel 2.0.

Solar is back and ready - Today's photovoltaic solar cell is not your father's pv solar module. Depending upon which type of energy you care to generate, electricity or hot water, today's poly-crystalline photovoltaic solar cell has come a very long way in the form of photovoltaic's and will go further still. These modules, when combined into polycrystalline photovoltaic solar panel form, turn the suns rays (so-to-speak) right into power ready for use. They have also become exceedingly efficient, more environmentally sound and less expensive. Today's solar panel will sit almost anywhere and is quickly finding itself being turned into a panel the thickness of a nano particle. Solar power technology is running at extremely fast pace and driving costs down to an affordable level.

Who's using poly-crystalline solar cells? - As mentioned, it takes a change in the purse strings to see a marked change in a consumer's behavior. With a technology and paradigm shift on the order of poly-crystalline photo-voltaic solar cell it requires a solid leap forward in panel efficiency, costs of panels , associated elements and an increase in existing costs of fuel. When these factors reach critical mass solar panels start to show up, not at the consumer level, but at the corporate and industrial level. This is simply because business moves its money where the costs-over time-are less. This is just good business. Photovoltaic solar panels are now, as in this past two years, become more cost effective for industry to use then to not use them over time.

Why poly-crystalline pv solar cells now? Poly-crystalline Photovoltaic solar modules are now being used primarily because fuel costs are just too high to ignore in favor of a new technology that is worth checking out. Companies have available empty roof space and the choice of trying something on a larger scale to see if it works versus continuing to pay higher fuel bills and environmental costs. The whole concept is extremely self serving. There is no environmental consideration involved. If the company doesn't use solar panels they have to pay fuel costs and air clean-up expenses along with variable fuel charges. They try out the solar cells and see if they work now. If they do, the company can; commit to a full solar panel program with even more efficient solar panels, significantly reduce fuel costs and almost eliminate air cleaning needs along the way. There is little environmental about it. It's just good business. After industry gets rolling, solar panel costs will drop like a stone and the consumer will jump on board because it's just good business. - 23802

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